


The birth of a Phoenix

by BunnyJess



Series: SladeRobin Week 2020 [3]
Category: DCU, Deathstroke the Terminator (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Apprentice - Freeform, Assassination, Blood, Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd is Not Red Hood, Jason Todd is Robin, Murder, Other, Violence, beatings, injuries, mentions of Ras al ghul, mentions of lazarus pit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:35:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27215026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BunnyJess/pseuds/BunnyJess
Summary: Day two of Sladin week – (after) the bad guys win, sex worker au, Merfolk.A warehouse. A clown. A desperate father racing against time. A grandfather refusing to lose more family. It all comes together to enable a Phoenix to rise from the ashes of a life glittering yellow, red, and green.
Series: SladeRobin Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985017
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45
Collections: SladeRobin Week 2020





	The birth of a Phoenix

**Author's Note:**

> Written by my husband

“So tell me little bird, what hurts more? Backhand…or forehand?” The clown kept hitting. Bone’s crunching, skin tearing and blood spraying.

Jason couldn’t hold on much longer. There wasn’t any fight left in him. He had endured so much, for so long.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been in the warehouse; all he knew was that he had seen at least one night cycle through the skylight just to his left. He couldn’t really see it anymore though; his left eye was too swollen and broken to see through and this right eye was so cloudy that it was just a vague blur to him now.

Another soul-shattering cackle sounded as Joker walked over to the small table behind him and took a drink from the filthy glass that resided there. After he finished drinking he poured what remained onto Shelia’s head, waking her. She had been tied there for so long now that she had passed out from not having anything to eat or drink.

“Come on now! You made this happen! I even gave you a front row seat! Don’t waste it by napping!” Joker leant down and playfully slapped her cheeks, knocking her head from side-to-side despite the small amount of force applied. “Well I have to say kid, you don’t get your endurance from mommy’s side, you’d be dead already if you did! Think of all the fun we’d have missed out on.” A low rumbling laugh bubbled up from the Joker’s stomach and burst out of him. “Although I have an admission, I can’t stay much longer. I have another appointment, another mother has decided to trick her son into being killed.” `He chuckled softly to himself an turned back to the table, grabbing the glass and smashing it on the table. “Well, can’t leave any witnesses!” He made a quick slash and blood poured from Sheila’s neck, rapidly pooling on the floor below her. Then the hole room was thrown into disarray.

The skylight Jason had been looking through caved in and a dark blurry figure fell with the glass shards to the floor, landing on their feet and barely registering the fall. “What the hell are you doing here?” The Joker said, the fun draining out his voice. “Putting an end to this hell-show. Tell me, what hurts more, hollow point…or FMJ?” That voice was familiar, but it wasn’t who he was expecting. Two bangs cut through the silence, Jason assumed they were loud but everything was dull, everything was far away. Then nothing happened for a few seconds, Jason was still expecting death, but nothing happened. All of a sudden there was this weird scratching sensation in the middle of his chest. Jason tried his best to see what was going on, and he could just about make out someone sticking a large syringe into his chest. “Wha…” Jason felt a finger press to his lips. “Be quiet, let the adrenaline kick in and then you can try and talk.”

Jason definitely knew that voice, but he couldn’t place it. Suddenly his vision started to clear and his mind was filled with a renewed energy. His body still felt like the ruin it was, but his mind was racing. He took another glance at his saviour and instantly recognised the signature orange and navy facemask. “Slade?” He whispered, the confusion rattling his already muddled thoughts. “As far as I’m aware, yes.” The man showed very little in the way of a reaction to the scene he was currently in. “Why are you doing this?” Jason asked, failing to come to a conclusion on his own. “Pay was good, I hate the clown, and you’re twice the Robin the last one was. I could use you, if you’re willing to do what’s necessary?” This was a lot to take in. Jason was grateful for his life being saved, but Slade killed no matter who was at the end of his sights.

“I won’t kill innocents, and I won’t let you kill them either.” There was a level of determination to Jason’s voice that was surprising to Slade. “I’d been looking for a career change anyway.” Slade said carefully sliding his arms under Jason’s broken body to pick him up. He started carrying Jason out, pausing momentarily to put Sheila out of her misery with a single bullet into the top of her head. “Come on, I need to fix you up and there’s only one place I know with enough juice to fix this much hurt.” Slade carried Jason out into the cold evening air and over to an angular saloon car parked a little way away. Jason was rested on the back seats and Slade covered his body with a large black sheet, a white one would stain with Jason’s blood. That was the last Jason remembered of that night.

When he woke up, the air was warmer and smelled drier. His head didn’t ache anymore and his body was no longer on the edge of failure. He sat up, looking around the strange surroundings. The room was a warm terracotta colour with Arabian décor and hints of green and yellow adding colour to the otherwise single tone room. He pulled the sheet from his body and was amazed. There were no signs of the trauma he’d suffered at the hands of the clown, and if anything, he was in better shape than when he’d gone to Ethiopia. “Good, you’re awake. It’s about time.” Slade strode into the room through the open door, his enhanced hearing had clearly alerted him to the slight movements Jason was making and the change in his breathing. Slade was dressed in a light and airy linen gown and linen trousers, looking as cool as he no doubt would.

“Where am I?” Jason asked, rubbing his eyes and taking a better look around the room, finding clothes for him to put on beside him on a small stool. “Nanda Parbat, home of the league of assassins. It was my only option for saving your life, we’ll be leaving as soon as you’re ready.” Jason pulled on the clothes, the soft fabric tingling his skin due to the lack of any real stimulation in a long time. “How long was I…” Jason was cut off quickly by Slade. “Two weeks, the pit put your mind into a coma so that it could fix your body. According to Ra’s a similar thing happened to him on his first dip, the liar tried to claim it only took him a day to wake again though.” Jason couldn’t see it because Slade’s back was turned to him, but he could tell that Slade had rolled his eye.

“So what’s our deal? How does this play out?” Jason wanted to waste no time, if he needed to get out of here and find his way back to Bruce, then he needed to know now before things got too serious. “I take you under my wing, train you like you _should_ have been trained. Then we take on the scum of the world, one round at a time.” Jason looked at Slade quizzically now that he had turned to face him. “Why change now? Why the sudden decision that killing everyone and anyone is bad?” Slade’s shoulders sank a little, Jason was right to ask the question and he deserved an answer. “Because I once stood for something, fought for a cause. I let my hatred and resentment get the better of me. Then I started studying you just in case I needed to fight you one day. I saw that burning desire to rid the world of those who make it worse. I saw you push that rapist off his balcony, defying Batman because it was the right thing to do. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen that look though. Saw it in the first Robin, but he never had the guts to stand up to that pompous ass and take the final step. You did, and that made me realise where I’d gone wrong. That I needed to start again, but just like you I can’t do it on my own.”

Jason studied Slade harder than he’d ever studied someone before. The merc was a master manipulator, but if he was trying to trick Jason then he couldn’t see any hint of a ruse. “If you’re lying, I’ll kill you.” Jason said, that same determination in his voice. “Not possible kid.” Slade said smirking. “I’ll find a way.” Jason said back, but it didn’t have quite the reaction he’d expected. Slade burst out into laughter, doubling over and then throwing himself backwards. “Oh shit I really did pick the right one didn’t I?” He howled, still not controlling his laughter. “Me and you, we’re going to get on just fine.” Slade reached behind him and threw a large satchel at Jason. “Take those stupid clothes off and put this on. Wintergreen had you measured whilst you were out and fixed you up, the cape is optional.”

With that Slade left the room. Jason opened the heavy bag and peered down at what was inside. He laid the bag on the bed and reached inside. He pulled out a large, clearly armoured helmet. It had the signature navy/orange split down the middle and what was clearly a moving faceplate. Jason spun it round and lowered it onto his head. As soon as it was in place, a small beam quickly scanned his retina. A moment later the HUD burst into life, the projectors beaming straight into his eyes as the world around him jumped back into view. “Ho-lee shit.” Jason muttered, taking a look around the room and at his hands before him. Everything happened in real time, not even Bruce’s tech worked this quickly, there was always a slight delay. Jason pulled the helmet back off and once more reached into the bag. He pulled out a full set of body armour, not dissimilar to Slade’s. Jason’s eyes bulged, Batman would never have given him armour like this as it would’ve made his silhouette too big as he prioritised stealth over protection.

Slade was back in his armour by the time Jason walked into the main living space. The older man turned to look at Jason and even though he was wearing his mask, Jason knew Slade was impressed. Jason looked identical to him, apart from one key detail. Jason had slashed the floor length cape diagonally, so that it ran from behind his right knee to just above his left hip. He had also mounted the katanas over the cape, which held it in place and stopped it from getting in the way. “Does it fit well?” Slade asked him, picking up his custom blade from the table and sliding it home into its sheath. “Like a dream.” Jason replied, his modulated voice coming out of the helmet’s speakers. “Good, what shall we call you then?” Jason had thought about this whilst he was getting changed, almost like he knew Slade would ask. “Phoenix. I’m reborn from the ashes of Robin, with a new purpose.” Slade nodded. “Well then Phoenix, let’s begin your training.”


End file.
